The present invention relates, in general, to cooking processes and processes for holding or reclaiming cooked food.
Devices useful in accordance with the present invention are shown and described in copending U.S. patent, application Ser. No. 521,344 filed 8/8/83 , now U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,780, an example of equipment for controlling rate of evaporation of water from a reservoir or "evaporator" into an enclosure and means for simultaneously controlling the temperature of the atmosphere within the enclosure to facilitate processing, holding, or reclaiming of food products.
Prior art examples teach means for controlling humidity of an enclosure and in some instances the temperature and the humidity of the enclosure to provide a congenial atmosphere for the storage of food products, or other materials such as biologically active materials.
Further, the prior art teaches that the maintenance of humidity in a food enclosure can in some instances be important in the maintenance of food quality; however, no prior art reference is known which teaches the control of air temperature and water temperature in a reservoir in communicative relation with the food enclosure.
Additionally, no prior art reference is known which teaches methods or processes for cooking food wherein the temperature of the atmosphere within a stationary enclosure, and the temperature of water in a reservoir in communication with the same enclosure are varied over a selected period of time in selected relationship in order to achieve a desired result in the food being cooked.
One known prior art reference U.S. Pat. No. 2,318,027 Sykes teaches a dehydration device where temperature and humidity are controlled in an enclosure by sensing wet bulb and dry bulb temperatures and spraying steam into a water reservoir to increase humidity. The use of heaters to maintain selected water reservoir temperature is not taught.
Another prior art reference, U.S. Pat. No. 3,245,461 Allington, teaches a control arrangement to maintain humidity by monitoring wet bulb and dry bulb temperatures where cooling or heat is supplied to a water reservoir in response to change in wet bulb and dry bulb temperature. Nowhere does the reference recognize the value of the use of the reservoir temperature as a means of controlling the treatment of food.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,518,949 Stock teaches an arrangement for conditioning dough etc. where a first control is provided to control air temperature in an enclosure by operation of a heater, second temperature control means are provided to limit the maximum temperature adjacent the heater and a humidity responsive switch is provided to energize a heater in a water reservoir to vaporize water to adjust humidity. Stock like Allington and Sykes does not teach control of the water temperature. Additionally, Luce U.S. Pat. No. 2,939,423 controls humidity by controlling temperature of the air and water but does not independently control air and water temperature. U.S. Pat. No. 3,424,231 teaches controlling air and water temperatures and spraying the water into the airstream supplied to an enclosure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,244,979 Rodenick teaches a food handling device where vapor is supplied to a cabinet but only the air is heated and a two stage processing procedure is disclosed.